National Cargo Bureau was incorporated as a non-profit organization and began its operations in 1952. The Bureau was created to render assistance to the United States Coast Guard in discharging its responsibilities under the 1948 International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea

Dedicated to safe ships and clean seas, IACS makes a unique contribution to maritime safety and regulation through technical support, compliance verification and research and development. More than 90% of the world's cargo carrying tonnage is covered by the classification design, construction and through-life compliance Rules and standards set by the thirteen Member Societies of IACS

The National Maritime Center (NMC) is the government oversight for all credential evaluations and processing. The NMC has combined the individual merchant mariner's document, license, and certificate of registry, as well as the STCW into a single credential known as the Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC). The MMC is issued by the U.S. Coast Guard under Title 46, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 10 and serves as the mariner's qualification documentation.

This classic sailing narrative tells the story of Eric Hiscock and his wife, Susan, who in 1952 set out from Yarmouth, England, in their 30-foot sailing yacht Wanderer III. Just under three years later they arrived back at Yarmouth, having circled the globe by way of the West Indies, the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Ascension, and the Azores, with many other ports of call en route.